Champion News

I have no words to address yesterday and cannot think of another song that will make us feel better. So here is the most recent pre-insurrection post, a bluebird in the snow and hope for tomorrow. God bless America.

December’s waning moon was still bright enough to make Saturday night’s skiff of snow luminous. It melted away as soon as Sunday warmed. Early risers on Monday found fog filling the low spots and the week ahead is destined to be cool and colder–wet and dryer the way it has been in these parts this time of the year for many of our recent years. By this time next week the political climate will be revealed and good neighbors with opposing views can smile while playfully presenting the packets of Kool Aid each has been saving for the other. As they, each perhaps unknowingly, embrace the philosophy of perspectivism, they are equally sure of the clarity of their own version of objective truth and amused at the almost comical obtuseness of their otherwise perfectly convivial neighbor. “But would he pull you out of a mud hole?“ That is the salient question. Certainly your good neighbor would, but would your politician?

An Old Champion has adopted a whole string of grandsons without their even knowing about it. After many decades of thinking football was a brutal, noisy, absurd waste of time and money (Think of all the good that could be done with the billions spent on sports.), she has fallen headlong through the pandemic’s constraints into full-fledged fanaticism. She sees every one of those gallant Kansas City Chief’s players as her own precious grandsons and grunts with them when they hit the ground, amazed that they can get up and do it again. She is yelling, “Get him! Get him! Get him!” when some opponent tries to run off with the ball and bellows, “Shoot! My little sister could run faster than that!” The old girl is learning terms like off-sides, conversion and why someone might punt. For other ladies who might not know, the offence is the team in possession of the ball. It is all very exciting. The General himself says that he hopes the Chiefs do not lose another game this year–14 and 2 so far. She imagines that other teams have fans too, but she wonders why.

Among mail and other communications to The Champion News this week a niece writes, “I hope the New Year doesn’t bring back ‘normal’ but instead creates a new and better normal.” That is reminiscent of poet, Rainer Maria Rinke (1875-1926), “And now let us believe in a long year that is given to us, new, untouched, full of things that have never been.” Additionally, we are admonished by Neil Gaiman in the Douglas County Herald to freely make mistakes, because that is how we learn. There is much we need to learn going forward. One remarks that by Monday most New Year’s resolutions had been broken already. Another says not to voice your resolution. That way when you falter, you will be the only one who knows you may have let yourself down. Some folks have corn beef and cabbage with their black eyed peas. Others just have cornbread with their good luck peas, appreciating the simplicity of the meal that many, in these hard times, would find lavish. On a happy note, Harley, Barbara and Diane were in town for about a week visiting with family and their favorite locals. Hoping perhaps to see them next time, we remain Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!